Media Alert – Clips, quotes and sound bites may be used from this interview – credit "Missouri Viewpoints with Mike Ferguson"

Tim Asher, the Executive Director of the Missouri Civil Rights Initiative, sits down with Mike to discuss the ballot drive that is quickly becoming the most controversial issue in the state.

The issue at hand is whether or not state government should consider factors such as race and sex during the decision making processes for contracting with government entities, enrollment in public universities, hiring for government jobs and other similar situations. The MCRI is designed to change the state constitution to prohibit the considering of certain demographic factors, like race and sex, in these decisions.

In this interview, Asher fields some very pointed questions about this controversial effort and also discusses:

The controversial change by Secretary of State Robin Carnahan made to the language of the initiative for petitioning purposes.

Claims of racism and sexism by opponents of the MCRI.

What he feels the role of government should be in helping the under served and citizens living in poverty.

We are working on bringing the other side of this debate to "Missouri Viewpoints" soon.